Combined washing machine and preserving apparatus



Nov. 11, 24. 1,515,003

l. G. WATSON COMBINED WASHING MACHINE AND PRESERVING APPARATUS v,

Filed Nov. 14, 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I j I N W x [k .gq WITNESSES llVl/ENTOR 6%. R I. G- WQZSOIL ATTORNEYS NOV 119 1 I. G. WATSON COMBINED WASHING MACHINE AND PRESERVING- APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1922 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ul l" lihll lllllu \D .L Q INVENTOR Z G. Pia/Z6020.

ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Fatented Nova ll, 1924?.

Inn GAYLORD WATSON, or nunnnsou, SOUTH CAROLINA.

COMBINED 'WASHING MACHINE AND PRESERYING APPAR A'IUS.

Application filed November 14, 1922. Serial No. 600,907.

ing machines and the purpose of my invention 1s the prov sion of a washing machine of extremely simple, durable and inexpem sive construction which is operable to effect with thoroughness and dispatch the washing of clothes by alternately subjecting them to boiling water and steam. It is also a purpose vof my invention to provide a washing machine so constructed as to permit of the substitution of certain small parts by means of which the. machine can be readily converted into an apparatus for preserving fruit and similar foods in cans or jars.

I will describe one form of combined washing machine and preserving apparatus embodying my invention and will'then point out thenovel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying draw ngs:

Figure 1 is a view showing in perspec two one form of washing machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of'Figu-re '1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view talrenon the line 33 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line H ofFigure3.

Figure -5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the washingmachine converted into a preserving apparatus.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus shown in Figure 5 Figure 7 is a perspective view of the supporting bracket and bafile plates embodied in the apparatus shown in Figures 5 and '6.

Similar reference characters refer to simi lar parts in each of the several views;

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figures lto 4 inclusive, the washing machine as herein embodied comprises a metallic container K which ispreferably of rectangular formation and is adapted to be supported in spaced relation to theground bymeans of a wooden frame designated generally at F. The container is-preferably formed of sheet metal with its upper side open and surrounded by a wooden m -1O;FFICE.Q

frame F to. which is, hinged-1y secured a semi-circular cover R provided on all its sides with a laterally extending flange .15 adapted'to engage the upper edges of the container to support the cover in closed position. the container through a spout S .whiGh'as shown in FigureB is in communication with the container through an opening 16 whereby, the water level in the container is indicated in the spout so that the operator of the 'machine can readily determine the amount of water in the container without lifting the cover. The water may be drained from' the container through a cock -14: located at the bottom ofthe container as clearly shown in Figure 4.

jFor the purposeof heating the water in the container K, I provide a. stove in the form of an elongated rectangular casing C co-extensive in length with the container K, and as shown in Figure 4 with its forward end extending through a suitable opening formed in the side of .the container. This end of the casing is adapted to be, closed by door 17 having a. shutted 17 for controlling draft openings through which air is admitted tothe casing..- The rear end of the casingC is in communication with a pipe P which extends upwardly at the-rear end of the container for conveying the waste products of combustion from the stove. This pipe is provided with a damper -18,'and the pipe is securely held in vertical position by means of a bracket 19. e

The clothes receiving drum is designated generally at D, and is rotatably ;mounted within the container by means of stubsha-fts 20 fixed to the end walls of the drum by means of discs 21 and bolts 22in the'manner Water is adapted to be supplied to s clearly shown in Figure 4. Thesesstub shafts 20 are journaled in suitable bearings formed in. the frame F with the forward stub shaft projecting exteriorly of the con tainer [and squared to receive a collar 23 formed on the hub of ,a gear 24 and through which extends a set screw 25 for securing the gear-to the shaft. The gear 24 meshes with a smaller gear 26 keyed to the stub shaft 27 carrying an operating crank 28. As shown in Figures 1and13, the drum Dcomprises disc-shaped end walls 2.9 made of wood or other suitable material and connected by wooden bars 30 and upon which latter is supported a corrugated sheet metal member 31 which forms the major portion of the drum. The remainder of the drum is formed by a foraminous member 32 preferably formed of wire screen. The member 31 is formed at intervals with perforations to allow the percolation of water and steam through and into the drum, and in the presentinstance I have provided a section of the member 31 in the form'of a door, such door being indicated at 31 and provided forthc purpose of introducing and removing clot-hes to and from the drum This door 31 is held in closed position in any suitable manner such as by the latches 83, and it includes bars 34 and arcuate end bars 35 which together form a frame for rigidly supporting the door upon the drum. v

As'illustrated to advantage in Figure 3, the arrangement of the clothes receiving drum with respect to the container K is suchthat the lower portion of the drum is at all times submerged within the water in the container, while the remaining or upper portion is at all times disposed above the water and within the cover R. For the purpose of controlling the circulation of boiling water within the container and in such manner as to direct the water upwardly into the drum, 1 provide a pair of battle plates B, each of which is of substantially V-shaped formation in cross section and formed of resilient metal so that by slightly compressing the same transversely the free longitudinal edges thereof are constricted to permit of their insertion 1n grooves through the. spout S, until it reaches the level shown in Figure 3, or to any level in which a portion of the drum is at all times submerged. By "means of the heat generated from the burning fuel in the stove, the

water is heated to alooiling point, and under this boiling action the water is caused to circulate completely around the casing C of the stove, the baffle plates B directing the water upwardly into the lower portion of. the drum. WVith the water heated to a boiling point, the steam generated thereby naturally rises to the upper portion of the container formed bythe cover R. The clothes are now introduced into the drum, and by slowlyrotatmg' the drum through an actuation of the crank 28, the clot-hes are caused to engage the bars 30 and are thus carried m ma upwardly of the drum and dropped into the boiling water within the drum. When the drum rotates, the boiling water and steam passes into and out of the drum through the which naturally surges through the clothes 7 and thus effects a removal of the dirt from the clothes I When the foraminous member 32 reaches the upper part of the chamber formed by the cover R, the steam which has accumulated in the cover is suddenly admita ted to the drum where it serves to increase the agitation of the boiling water therein in effecting removal of the dirt from the clothes. This action of the boiling water and steam being successively admitted in bulk to the drum continues during the rotation of the drum so that in practice when the drum is rotated first in one direction for a predetermined number of turns and then in the opposite direction so as to expose allparts of the clothes to the action of the steam and water, all dirt is completely removed from the clothes I v To rinse the clothes, the Water used in Washing is removed from the container by opening the cock 14;, andafter the container is emptied fresh water is introduced into the spout S preferably to the level shown in Figure 3 whereupon rotation of the drum is again effected.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, I have shown the washing machine just described converted into a preserving apparatus for heating the contents of jars or cans in effectmg a preservation thereof. To convert the Y washing machine into the preserving apparatus the drum D is removed and also the bailie plates B, and in place of the latter a frame M is placed in the container in embracing relation with respect to the casing C of the stove. As shown in Figure 7 this frame M comprises a pairof U-shaped brackets 37 and 38 having parallel arms of different lengths which are connected by baflle bars 39 substantially co-extensive in length with the casing C. By this arrangement the baflieoars are supported in inclined position within the container and at opposite sides of the casing C in the manner clearly shown in Figure 6 so that the lower end of- I the baffle bars are disposed at the rear end of the casing. The purpose of this particular arrangement of the baflle bars is to effect the circulation of the boiling water from the rear end of the stove to its forward end, it

being a well known fact that in stoves of this kind the greatest heat is generated by the point where the products of combustion leave the stove. The horizontal portions of the brackets 37 and 38 are bent to provide upstanding projections for supporting a basket T in spaced relation to the stove. The basket T is formed with a foraminous bottom to allow of the free circulation of boiling water into the basket and into contact with cans N containing the material to be preserved. The opposite ends of the basket are provided with handles 41 which are of such a length as to normally project above the level of the boiling water Within the container so that the operator can readily withdraw the basket from the water.

From the foregoing description, it will be clear that the heating of the contents of the cans N is readily efl'ected through the medium of boiling water, and that the circulation of the Water is so controlled as to be equally and uniformly heated throughout the area of the container.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of combined washing machine and preserving apparatus embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein Without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

That I claim is:

1. An apparatus of the character described secured by their diverging edges to the inner side walls of said water container, and the unsecured edge thereof extending toward the center ofsaid container above the heating compartment and substantially parallel to the top thereof as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An apparatus of the characterdescribed comprising a water container, brackets secured to the inner side walls of said Water container and coacting therewith to form grooves, a second container mounted therein constructed of toraminous material, a heating compartment also mounted therein, Water passages around the side, top and bottom Walls of said heating compartment, a plurality of bafiie plates of substantially V- shaped formation in cross section formed of resilient material and having their diverging edges seated within said grooves, said baffle plates coacting with said heating co1npart ment to decrease the size of the Water pas sages to form a substantially narrow outlet at the top thereof as and for the purpose set forth.

IRA GAYLORD WATSON. 

